With over 80,000 children in the care of local authorities at any one time, and with the total number of 'looked after' children rising each year, there is an urgent need for more foster carers. Thousands more are needed to ensure that all children and young people can benefit from living in a stable, nurturing environment. There is a need for all kinds of foster carers but particularly those who can care for teenagers, children with a disability, sibling groups, and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.
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Why foster?
Fostering services need foster carers from all types of backgrounds so that children can be matched with carers who will meet their individual needs. Wherever possible, fostering services are looking to recruit foster carers who can understand and meet the child’s heritage, ethnic origin, culture, language, and other unique needs.
Fostering is...
Rewarding
Being a foster carer provides a unique opportunity to make a real, positive difference. By working as part of a team with the child, other professionals, and birth parents, foster carers can transform a child's life.
Flexible
Fostering doesn't have to be full-time. The time commitment can vary depending on the type of fostering you choose to do. Some part-time roles involve caring for children as a respite or short break foster carer, which might just involve weekends and school holidays. It may also be possible to combine some types of fostering with other employment.
Supportive
Foster carers receive a fostering allowance to cover the cost of a child in their care and most receive an additional fee or reward payment. Foster carers will also receive supervision, advice, and practical and emotional support from their fostering service. Fosterline is also here to support you every step of the way!
Challenging
Every child is unique and no two days will be the same! But comprehensive training is provided to prospective foster carers, and will be ongoing once you are approved, so there's plenty of support to help you in your role. Your fostering service will also provide a range of other support which may include linking you with others through a buddy system or using the Mockingbird support model; arranging regular support meetings and/or events, and running events for children of foster carers to acknowledge and support them, too.
